Rear Window Wind Buffet

[fox4]

While traveling at about 40mph on a local road, I opened the passenger side rear window by mistake. The result was a pressure change in the cabin that caused a rapid thumping noise/sensation that was actually painful in my wife's and my ears. It was similar in some ways to pressure changes while flying in a light aircraft. I thought it might be a seat belt being whipped around by the wind stream, but nothing in the back was moving. With both rear windows down, it got worse. I've experienced wind noise from rear windows, but never anything like this. In my opinoin, and that of my wife, the RX400h is undriveable with the rear windows down. Lucky we never have them down. It rides like a dream all closed up, smooth and quiet. Front windows cause no problem.

Anybody else have a similar experience with the airflow over the car.

Stu

[NeoN]

this happens in every car in the world, don't open the rear windows unless your going to open the fronts as well, or you'll be in for a big surprise, boooooom all that noise :chairshot:

[thelazydogsback]

No s@#t! When I first opened the rear window(s), I thought I had just missed the last chopper leaving Saigon... -- it's pretty much intolerable.

One of a long list of things that I'm surprised Lexus let out of the factory. (Luckily, the whole drivetrain and all is pretty sweet - they just need an electronics and body redesign :))

You'll have to crack the front window on the same side to get it to stop...

Another great window feature is that if it's been raining, the roof-line and door are expertly desinged to have all the standing/running water fall into the car when the windows are opened, forming a nice pool in the seat :)

I thought buying rain-gutters would fix this and possibly help the wind problem, but (a) the roof-line is way to far inside of the car for the gutters to do anything, and (B) although the gutters fit like a glove, the too-smart electric windows rolled back down when they reached the top after they are installed. I asked a tech, and he said he didn't think you could adjust the point-of-no-return point of the auto-rollback -- it's less than a baby-pinky-width from being rolled up, so I don't see the harm...

While traveling at about 40mph on a local road, I opened the passenger side rear window by mistake. The result was a pressure change in the cabin that caused a rapid thumping noise/sensation that was actually painful in my wife's and my ears. It was similar in some ways to pressure changes while flying in a light aircraft. I thought it might be a seat belt being whipped around by the wind stream, but nothing in the back was moving. With both rear windows down, it got worse. I've experienced wind noise from rear windows, but never anything like this. In my opinoin, and that of my wife, the RX400h is undriveable with the rear windows down. Lucky we never have them down. It rides like a dream all closed up, smooth and quiet. Front windows cause no problem.

Anybody else have a similar experience with the airflow over the car.

Stu

[Jim Clark]

This happened with our Audi wagon when the sunroof was opened all the way and all the windows were up.

[NeoN]

you guys think that window protectors would help? those tinted things that stretch over the top 3" of the window?

[wwest]

While traveling at about 40mph on a local road, I opened the passenger side rear window by mistake. The result was a pressure change in the cabin that caused a rapid thumping noise/sensation that was actually painful in my wife's and my ears. It was similar in some ways to pressure changes while flying in a light aircraft. I thought it might be a seat belt being whipped around by the wind stream, but nothing in the back was moving. With both rear windows down, it got worse. I've experienced wind noise from rear windows, but never anything like this. In my opinoin, and that of my wife, the RX400h is undriveable with the rear windows down. Lucky we never have them down. It rides like a dream all closed up, smooth and quiet. Front windows cause no problem.

Anybody else have a similar experience with the airflow over the car.

Stu

In order to increase FE by preventing "ventilation loss" the car is extremely well sealed against air outflow and the REQUIRED exhauster port is being made as small as possible. One of the advantages of the old Ford station wagons where you could lower the rear window slightly, or the rear quarter panel "winglets" taht can be opened on many minivans.